How to Remove Tomato Stains? Undo the Red Marks from 3 Types of Materials with Efficient Techniques

Spills from tomato sauces and ketchup are hard to be treated, leaving behind unsightly marks on the affected surfaces like clothes, carpets and shoes. What to do with these bright red residues? How to remove tomato stains entirely? Let’s look through the efficient approaches…

Are Tomato Stains Hard to Get Out?

These type of stains can be particularly hard to remove, especially if they are old, when they have been left untreated. The bright red tomato spills contain one substance called lycopene, a strong natural pigment, which easily penetrates through porous materials and adhere stubbornly to them. In warm conditions, when exposed to high temperatures like in summer sun rays, the stains can stick to the fibers harder, making it even more tricky to remove them. Therefore, when tomato stains appears on your clothes, carpets or other surfaces, it’s essential not to postpone the cleaning, but to act immediately. So, let you look through the particular ways of how to remove tomato stains depending on the specific materials you have to deal with in your daily life.

How to Remove Tomato Stains from Cotton Clothing?

You’ve stained your new blouse with tomato sauce from dropped spaghetti in the nearby Italian restaurant. What should you do? Can you take immediate measures while you are still in the restaurant? Let’s see:

• Act immediately: Without wasting a single minute, when you’ve noticed the stain, blot the excess tomato sauce lightly with a cloth or paper towel. Do not rub the fabric, as it may enlarge and hardly set into the material.

• Treat with mild detergent: Pour a small amount of liquid dish soap or laundry detergent on the stain. Then slightly rub the fabric to help it penetrate into the fibers.
• Soak in water: Soak the stained clothing in cold water for about half an hour to help easier washing afterward.
• Wash the garment: Put the garment in the washing machine and launder it with enzyme-based detergent and cold water. This is needed, because if you use hot water, this may set the stain deeply.
• Check the result: After washing, check whether the stain is gone, before to put the garment in the dryer. If you find any remained residue, repeat the cleaning process until there are no visible signs of stain presence.

Read also: How to remove grease stains from clothes: These are the right home remedies and the best methods

What Will Remove Tomato Stains from the Carpet?

When you’ve invited guests and have a snack in the living room, an incidental spill from ketchup or tomato sauce on the carpet is easy to happen. Don’t think this is an unsolvable problem! Just act promptly, following the instructions how to remove tomato stains efficiently in this situation:

1. Blot the carpet’s stain: When you notice a spill, blot it several times with a cloth or paper towel to remove the maximum amount of the tomato. It’s important to work from the outer edges of the spill towards the center to not allow further spreading of the stain.
2. Prepare a soap solution: Dissolve one tablespoon of dish soap in two cups (470 ml) of cold water. Avoid using harsh detergents or bleach, as they may destroy the carpet fibers.
3. Wash with the solution: Dampen a cloth with the cleaning solution and lightly rub the tomato stain. Do not work vigorously to preserve your carpet from damage.
4. Rinse the carpet area: Dip a cloth in cold water and blot the affected spot to remove the soap residue.
5. Blot the area dry: Use another cloth or paper towel to absorb the excess damp from the carpet. It’s possible to place a dry towel over the affected spot, and press it down to soak up more moisture.
6. Let it air dry: Allow the carpet to dry on air.

Can Tomato Stains be Removed from White Shoes and How?

White shoes can easily be stained by tomato sauce, once it has spilled on them. What can you do with these unpleasant red stains? There is a proper way they to be removed, with the following technique:

1. Do not postpone blotting!: With the help of a clean cloth or paper towel, blot the excess sauce carefully. Don’t rub the affected area, not to allow the stains to penetrate deeper.
2. Prepare a vinegar solution: Pour one teaspoon of white vinegar into one cup (236 ml) of cold water.
3. Dab the affected area: Dab the tomato stain with the vinegar solution, with the help of a cloth or sponge.
4. Rinse the shoe: Dampen a cloth with cold water and blot the area to remove the vinegar residue.
5. Allow to air dry: Let the shoe air dry naturally. Do not expose it to direct sunlight or to a heat source.

Read also: Top 10 carpet cleaning tips – how to clean stains, spills and odors?